[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 15 (Tuesday, February 2, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H433-H434]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NORTH AMERICAN INCLUSION MONTH
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1014) recognizing and supporting the goals and
ideals of North American Inclusion Month.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1014
Whereas one in every five Americans struggles with some
sort of disability, be it intellectual, physical or
otherwise, and the need for inclusion of individuals with
disabilities is a family, community, and national priority;
Whereas a similar ratio exists in the Jewish community,
with over one million Jewish individuals living with a form
of disability;
Whereas individuals with disabilities face significant
disadvantages in educational and employment opportunities;
Whereas 70 percent of individuals with disabilities are
unemployed or significantly underemployed;
Whereas special education and related programming do not
address underlying needs for appropriate training to lead to
greater independence and employment;
Whereas Yachad, the National Jewish Council for
Disabilities, and its parent organization, the Union of
Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, is dedicated to
addressing the needs of all individuals with disabilities and
including them in the Jewish community;
Whereas Yachad provides programming for individuals with
disabilities and their families to foster inclusion in
communal happenings and assists in placing individuals with
disabilities in employment; and
Whereas Yachad and the Union of Orthodox Jewish
Congregations of America are cosponsoring North American
Inclusion Month in February to increase public awareness of
the life circumstances of individuals with disabilities, and
the need for increased employment opportunities, better
special education and increased inclusion of these
individuals on the family, communal, and national levels:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes and
supports the goals and ideals of North American Inclusion
Month.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Towns) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
{time} 1430
General Leave
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have
5 legislative days in which to revise and to extend their remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, I am pleased to present H. Res. 1014 for
consideration. This resolution draws public attention to the need for
inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the greater community.
I introduced H. Res. 1014 on January 13, 2010, and the measure was
favorably reported out of the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform by unanimous consent on January 27, 2010. I am proud to say that
the measure has bipartisan support from 59 Members of Congress.
Mr. Speaker, one in every five Americans has some form of disability.
They face great difficulty in everyday life and significant
disadvantages in education and employment. Men and women around the
country work hard in areas like special education, job training,
rehabilitation, and other efforts to address the needs of individuals
with disabilities, and we can all be very proud of their work. But we
should be sure to remember that individuals with disabilities still
face a great deal of hardship.
These are our friends, our neighbors, and our family members and, of
course, many, many, many times people that we see on a daily basis.
They are our veterans. We must be sure to do our part to include these
individuals in all facets of life.
North American Inclusion Month, recognized during the month of
February, was first created in 2005, by Yachad, the Hebrew word for
``together,'' the National Jewish Council for Disabilities, and its
parent organization, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of
America. I would like to thank these groups for all the hard work they
have done to educate people on this important issue, particularly in my
district in Brooklyn.
In closing, I would also like to thank the gentleman from California,
Congressman Issa, who has worked very closely with me on this issue.
And, of course, I really appreciate his involvement and his support to
get us where we are today.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1014, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the chairman's very kind and
appropriate words. And I, too, rise in support of House Resolution
1014, recognizing and supporting the goals and ideals of North American
Inclusion Month, being the month of February.
[[Page H434]]
Approximately 41.2 million Americans have a disability of some kind,
and many of them are unemployed or underemployed and struggling to live
on what they make or even to survive. Mildly disabled individuals make
less each month than those who are not disabled, and the severely
disabled individuals take home almost $1,000 less than they otherwise
would.
And while there are programs in place that provide job training for
those with special needs, they often do not focus enough on helping
those individuals become independent or find permanent employment. Many
do, and there are many programs in our communities across the country,
but both the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America and
Yachad, the National Jewish Council for Disabilities, have partnered
together for 2010 to promote North American Inclusion Month, observed
each February to bring public attention to the needs of those with
disabilities.
These organizations have taken it upon themselves to become leaders
in promoting the message of Inclusion Month: The need for increased
employment opportunities, better special education, and greater
inclusion of disabled individuals at the family, community, and
national levels.
It's something we all should support. And I certainly believe that
this is a bipartisan resolution. I urge my colleagues to support it.
And with that, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, Martin Luther King said that I cannot be what
I ought to be until the world is what it should be. And I think that
this legislation really addresses that issue to say that we have to be
concerned about others, those who are disabled. And let me again urge
my colleagues to join me in calling for the great inclusion of
individuals with disabilities by supporting H. Res. 1014.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1014.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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